Designed by Hamburger Flugzeugbau GmbH before its merger with Messerschmitt-Bolkow, the HFB 320 Hansa twin-jet executive transport/ feederliner is of distinctive configuration. To avoid compromising cabin volume, its cantilever mid-set wings have 15° of forward sweep, which means that the main spar passes through the fuselage to the rear of the passenger cabin. Other features of its configuration include wingtip fuel tanks, a T-tail unit with all-swept surfaces, retractable tricycle landing gear, and two podded turbojet engines, mounted one on each side of the rear fuselage. The prototype was flown for the first time on 21 April 1964, and the first production Hansa on 2 February 1966. The first 15 Hansas had 1294kg thrust General Electric CJ610-1 engines, the next 20 the 1340kg thrust CJ610-5, and subsequent aircraft the more powerful CJ610-9. Finding itself in a highly competitive market, MBB endeavoured to attract military sales in such roles as casualty evacuation, liaison, light freighting, navigation training, radio and radar reconnaissance, and VIP transportation; it attracted only one military customer, the West German Luftwaffe. This service received 14 out of 45 Hansas that were built, and they continue in use in an ECM training role and for VIP transport.

3-View

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A three-view drawing (1140 x 1869)

Specification

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CREW

2

PASSENGERS

12

ENGINE

2 x 1406kg General Electric CJ610-9 turbojets

WEIGHTS

Take-off weight

9199 kg

20280 lb

Empty weight

5425 kg

11960 lb

DIMENSIONS

Wingspan

14.49 m

48 ft 6 in

Length

16.61 m

55 ft 6 in

Height

4.9 m

16 ft 1 in

Wing area

30.1 m2

323.99 sq ft

PERFORMANCE

Cruise speed

825 km/h

513 mph

Range

2526 km

1570 miles

Comments

Bob Kusterer, 30.01.2014

I used to fly one of these things. I had previously flown the F-84. Just like the F-84, she was a "ground loving whore" , true to the song. That forward swept wing made for lots of room and good visibility in the cabin. Might have been a good aircraft if they had ever put more powerful fan engines on it.